Does Theology Matter to a Miracle?

Why is it that miracles occur across theology lines? How does someone Evangelical explain it when a Catholic receives a blessing from God in the form of a miracle? Or vice versa? How about someone Jewish, or Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness? How is it that across all these different theological belief systems, there are still miracles happening? I’ve met people in the Evangelical faith who try to explain away or dismiss a plain sighted miracle in a Jehovah Witness’s life.

How can we make sense of this?

I’ve even heard of a pastor who healed a Hindu man of an arm that was paralyzed. The man plainly said to him before starting, “I do not believe in your Jesus.” The pastor, of course, prayed in the name of Jesus Christ and the man was healed immediately, but how do you explain that? There have even been atheist who see a miracles. If I were take polls across theological lines, I think I would be blown away at how many people are seeing miracles. There are websites that only talk about the witnessing of a miracle or a healing. How can this be?

God is Big

He’s all-powerful, He created the universe, all humanity, the Earth, the Solar systems. Not only is He GINORMOUS, He’s all-knowing, omnipresent, He is love, He is light. He looks on the heart of an individual. Try for just on second imagining if you had that job description. How would you lovingly help humanity along?

The same question and impossible answer flabbergasted Peter in Acts 10. The children of God had always been the Israelites. Sure there were other races of people like Samaritans and such that loved and believed God, but to them they’d always just been the chosen ones…until he realized this.

“Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.” Acts 10:34

He had just witnessed the miracle of the new birth happening to those outside his religious theology. It was the first time that he saw that.

“And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles (unbelievers, not Jews) also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.” vs. 45

So that is the first record of God doing a miracle across theological lines, right? The miracle of all miracles. The new birth. It still happens today. I’ve even seen atheists receive this miracle. And others including healings and signs and wonders. How!? How does this happen? Did they need some special new theological mixture of potions to arrive at this? Nope. Do we need to transcend to a new dimension to see these kind of results?

I’ll sum it up in one section of verses.

“For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” 1 Cor. 1:19-21

We think we’re so smart don’t we. God knows we do this. We pump up our own worldly, or religious wisdom. In the end it comes down to those last three words. “Them that believe.”

Believing is so simple even a child can do it. God built us, hardwired us God-hungry. He gave us freewill, but we’re always looking to fill a spiritual hole. We long to believe in a God. Not someone’s painted, decorated version of Him, though, when we fall for that trick it can work for a while. Even a “religious experience” is no match for one conversation with the one-true God, the Father of Jesus Christ. Look at Moses. He had a conversation that changed him forever. We can have those kind of conversations too. As easy as you and I chatting over coffee.

“For through him (Jesus Christ) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Eph. 2:18

Access

What a powerful word! We don’t need potions, pomp and primping. After we’re born again, we simply believe that we have that access as promised. I have a tendency to limit God and His miraculous power. I also limit the span of His love and mercy. It is my nature to limit it, but that’s why the foolish things confound the wise. As much as I want to put God in a box, it won’t work. He’s just too big.

Are you looking for a miracle today? Do you know how to believe for one? I did a study not to long ago on the Biology of believing. It’s a series of blog posts starting with, Mastering the Art of Believing God.

How big can you imagine your walk with God? How much can you take the limits off of Him? He wants you to. Here is the key.

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16:16-18

Would it be possible to be a master at miracles? Would it be possible to be a master at signs and wonders? Moses was, Paul was, Peter was. How? They believed God. And you can too.